[player] I'll help carry the deity puppets.
[A-Yuan] Great! Please follow me.
[-] A-Yuan takes me to wash my hands and burn incense before guiding me to a deity puppet. This deity puppet is one meter tall, and has a wooden head, bamboo frame, and gorgeous outfit befitting its identity.
[A-Yuan] When you were repairing the deity puppets, you learned that deity puppet carriers need to lift up a deity puppet from inside its frame to complete the parade along Champion Street.
[A-Yuan] But it's not that easy. It isn't enough to just lift it up and move around. You'll need to learn how to keep it balanced and make lifelike movements to interact with the public.
[-] Following A-Yuan's instructions, I keep practicing the steps she teaches me...
[player] One, two, three, four... Two, two, three, four...
[player] Huff... Puff...
[???] The sky was black, the earth was yellow, and the universe was vast and boundless...
[player] ...Who's that?
[-] Upon hearing the sound of a bell tolling, I open my eyes to see an old man waving at me from a distance. The man looks very dignified and even a little familiar... Instinctively, I start walking toward him even though my legs feel incredibly heavy...
[-] Someone catches me just as I start toppling over in my dazed state.
[A-Yuan] PLAYER!
[-] I regain my senses as fresh air rushes all over me. Upon opening my eyes, I see that A-Yuan has helped me out of the deity puppet.
[A-Yuan] PLAYER, are you okay? Drink some water.
[player] Thanks... I... think I just saw an ancestor...
[A-Yuan] Haha!
[player] Why are you laughing?
[A-Yuan] You didn't see an ancestor. You had a heatstroke.
[player] Huh?
[A-Yuan] If I knew you would have a heatstroke so easily, I would have reminded you to wear even less clothing.
[player] Oh, so the reason you told me to dress lightly in the morning was because you were worried I would get heatstroke?
[A-Yuan] Yes, I had a feeling the ritual would succeed today, which means we would need to start rehearsing as soon as possible. Since you would probably help out, PLAYER... it would be very likely that you'll get heatstroke.
[-] I glance at the tall and airtight deity puppet next to me... Yeah, it's quite easy to get heatstroke inside of that alright...
[player] Why did you tell me not to wear new clothes then?
[A-Yuan] The frame of a deity puppet is made out of bamboo. If you wear new clothes while carrying it, your clothes will get dirty and might even be damaged. That would be a pity.
[player] Then... what about not wearing flip-flops?
[A-Yuan] Because I didn't want you to sprain your ankle while rehearsing. Oh, remember to wear sports shoes on the day of the parade because you have quite a distance to cover.
[player] ...Okay, one last question!
[player] Why did you ask me to wait for the incense to finish burning before I start rehearsing?
[A-Yuan] To prevent fires and eliminate fire hazards.
[player] Everything is backed by science?!
[A-Yuan] What? Did you think these are all taboos? No wonder you have been so nervous since you threw the Jiaobei...
[A-Yuan] It's not as scary as you think. The ancestors are here to protect us, not to make things difficult for us. There aren't many things you need to be worried about as long as you respect them.
[player] ...I understand now.
[player] If it's so easy to get heatstroke... what happens if a carrier gets heatstroke during the parade?
[A-Yuan] The organizers will plan the route in advance before the parade starts, and residents along the route will all place clean iced water at their doorsteps. They will also provide chairs for the carriers to sit on so they can rest at any time.
[A-Yuan] There's something more important than that of course.
[-] A-Yuan looks at me, then she pats my shoulder and speaks sincerely.
[A-Yuan] The most important thing is that carriers must be physically strong and have a strong sense of conviction.
[player] I understand why they need to be physically strong, but what do you mean by a sense of conviction?
[A-Yuan] Hmm... give me a moment.
[-] A-Yuan thinks for a moment before walking inside the hall. She then returns with an old book in her hand.
[A-Yuan] Here, take this. This sense of conviction... is a person's love for Nanxiang. This book contains many stories about Nanxiang. I'm sure you'll fall in love with Nanxiang once you learn more about it.
[player] Thanks, I'll take good care of this book.
[-] Obtained Memento: Ancient Nanxiang Book
[Crowd] This way, this way! Put that over there! Be careful!
[-] Suddenly, some lively shouts from the front yard of the Ancestral Hall catch our attention. A-Yuan takes my hand and leads me to the front yard.
[-] Many workers who are usually busy working in restaurants are entering the Ancestral Hall. The lively discussions carried out in the local dialect and the sounds of gongs and drums fill the mysterious and empty Ancestral Hall with life.
[Person A] Miss A-Yuan, are you here? Everyone has come for the rehearsals after getting off work!
[Person B] Hey, I call dibs on setting off fireworks along the route! I promised my daughter that I would set them off for her!
[Xiaoyun] Um... Miss A-Yuan, now that the deity puppets have been repaired, do you think I can do the Nuo dance with you at the parade?
[A-Yuan] Of course.
[Xiaoyun] Yay! I'll start preparing for it then! Thanks...
[-] Looking at the scene in front of her, A-Yuan shows me the most relaxed smile I've seen in the last few days.
[A-Yuan] Thank you so much. I won't let Ms. Fuuka down now.
[-] I receive a text message from Fuuka Minami.
[Fuuka Minami] (Text Message) Well done.
[player] Speak of the devil.
[-] I show A-Yuan the text message, which brings a smile to her face.
[A-Yuan] Yes... although Ms. Fuuka didn't show up this time, I know that it's because it's inconvenient for her to get involved since she's the leader of Bamboo Cloud. She's always been the staunchest supporter of the parade and has never stopped believing in me.
[A-Yuan] She's the one who insisted on bringing me and the folk culture of Nanxiang to One Han City even though many people initially thought the parade was just a stupid superstitious activity.
[player] Why did she insist on doing that at the cost of being criticized?
[A-Yuan] Ms. Fuuka said she wanted those who follow her to feel at home even when they are working in another land.
[A-Yuan] Fortunately, everything turned out the way she wanted, and the parade became more and more popular over time as Bamboo Cloud grew.
[A-Yuan] Now that everyone in One Han City knows a lot more about Nanxiang, the culture of Nanxiang has taken root in a larger world.
[player] That's wonderful.
[-] Looking at the bustling crowd, I see the deity puppet carriers rehearsing with their puppets and notice the puppet I helped to repair among the other puppets who are watching over everyone gently.
[-] At this moment, I finally understand why everyone here at Champion Street takes the parade so seriously and wants it to be a great success.
[-] The parade conveys people's happiness and wishes, allowing those far from home to feel the connection and encouragement from their homeland and transforming an ordinary land into a distant paradise.
